Bonds
by selenia-sopheria
Summary: Support conversations between the Shepherds that should have been. Current: Stahl/Sumia
1. Frederick and Gaius — C

**My plan for this story is **_**extremely**_** undeveloped.**

**I really shouldn't be uploading this right now, but I've decided I need some constructive criticism before continuing. I was planning to write each chapter with the complete C, B, A, and possibly S support conversations, but since I'm already making support conversations more detailed than the usual flat script, I thought I might take this at a slower pace to make more time for extra detail.**

**Here are the rules. I **_**will**_** be taking requests for this. But I'd really like to hear your thoughts on the current chapter and what improvements I could make for the next to come first. A little more than something like "do chrom and cordelia next" would be greatly appreciated and preferred.**

**Speaking of that, if enough people want a Chrom/Cordelia support, I'll do it, but they will **_**not**_** have an S support. Keep in mind that I'm trying to write these with the game's canons in mind, and romantic Chrom/Cordelia is clearly not what IS had intended. Sorry, but you'll have to go elsewhere for that.**

**If you do make a request, please remember that I am human, and a slow one at that, so my updates might not come every day, or every **_**week**_**, for that matter. (I'm working on it, though.) If I'm currently at C support for one pair, don't nag me about the support you want every single time I update. Maybe wait until I finish that pair's A support, when my mind is blank of ideas, and then give me your suggestion.**

**Please don't be offended if I don't decide to write your suggested support. As versatile as the FEA cast is, not **_**every**_** character is compatible with another. Well, somebody can easily prove me wrong on that, but I'll have better ideas for some pairs than others.**

**Only supports involving **_**the Shepherds**_** are allowed. Don't ask me to do Gangrel/Emmeryn. I'm sure there's a fan support for that somewhere out there.**

**I might go out of order for these supports. I'm probably going to get tired of always writing one pair's supports, so even though this chapter is Frederick and Gaius's C support, the next one might be another pair's C support. The order of supports will always go C-B-A-S. S is only for supports involving opposite genders, of course. (Most of these will probably be pairs of the same gender, since most characters can marry each other.)**

**I guess that's it. If I remember more rules or restrictions, I'll post them up next chapter.**

**I really don't remember what drove me to do this support in particular. If Frederick the Wary accused Robin of using the amnesiac ruse to hide his/her ulterior motives (which is totally justified, in my opinion), then a certain openly-admitted thief would probably have a rough time dealing with him. That, and I love the way their characters contrast. Well, if this pair isn't for you, then you can always suggest your own or wait until I start up another one. But I will admit that I made the Frederick/Gaius C support pretty ridiculous…**

**I apologize if the point-of-view gets somewhat confusing. I don't even know what I was intending. I guess it was supposed to lean slightly more towards Gaius's side, but sometimes, Frederick's thoughts would pop out. Like I said: **_**extremely**_** undeveloped. ****I also apologize in advance for Frederick's OOC-ness. He's a bit crazy here, but that's another thing I'll be sure to work on. ****I promise I won't be this lazy ever again. Starting Chapter 2 and onward, things should get better and flow more smoothly. **

**One last thing. I want to credit Kikifoo for allowing me to use the nickname she had Gaius give Frederick in her story _The Bee Hunters_ (which Gaius/Sumia fans are guaranteed to love). I thought it was a clever nickname for him, and since I'm horrible at naming things in general, I was grateful when she let me use it. Thanks again, Kiki!**

**Now that I'm done talking, enjoy! And I would love it if you all reviewed and included constructive criticism, but the latter isn't too necessary.**

* * *

_Frederick & Gaius — C_

* * *

Frederick's soul-chilling stare did not bestow its intended effect upon Gaius, but it did disturb the thief enough for him to speak up.

"Uh, Frederick?" asked Gaius, trying to ignore the burning ray of sunlight that was the knight's accusatory gaze. "Why're you glaring at me like I killed somebody?"

Frederick's glower minimized to an angry squint, fixed on a certain part of Gaius's face. "The caked blood on your cheek would not exactly do wonders for your testimony, thief."

"What, this?" Gaius's hand drifted up to his face to wipe off what Frederick had perceived as blood, finding on the tip of his finger a sweet surprise. "Well, it's definitely caked something, alright," he laughed, casually licking off the red icing on his hand.

Frederick remained unmoved. "You know, Gaius," he began, donning that intimidating gaze once again, "I've oft remarked that the best criminals are the ones who pretend to be something they are not. Which begs the question: are you really just a thief, or perhaps something more?"

A look of déjà vu flitted across Gaius's face, but was quickly replaced by one of exasperation. "Yeah, I was prepared to deal with people like you. Kind of inevitable, given my profession." He settled back into a more aloof pose, contrasting with the knight's vigilant form. "You said it yourself, Starchy. Why waste time dealing with me when the best criminals would be the ones under more… innocent occupations?"

"Why augment my skepticism by evading the question?" retaliated Frederick. His dead-serious tone earned an eye-roll from Gaius.

"What do you _want_ the answer to be? 'Cause I'm pretty sure whatever I say couldn't even make a dent in that stubborn head of yours." Gaius leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms and making himself comfortable. He, evidently, wasn't going anywhere for a while.

"Your _answer_," grounded out a cross Frederick, "should be the truth."

"Yeah, I'm a criminal," was the breezy reply. "I steal stuff. Big deal. Everyone in camp knows that. Your lord knew the second he saw me, but he didn't hesitate to enlist me in the army, did he?"

"Maybe so. But that was during a time of crisis; the Exalt's life was in danger, and thus, he required all the help he could get. More importantly, however, has anyone in the camp discovered your true identity—that of a cold-blooded killer?"

"Whoawuhwha?" Replacing the once-triumphant smirk on Gaius's face was a stare of surprise, his jaw hanging (but not enough for his lollipop to fall out). Frederick closed his eyes in what appeared to be a deep recollection of thought, as if he was mentally gathering evidence to prove Gaius guilty of a high-ranking crime. Then he began to speak.

"I know everything you've been doing to our fellow Shepherds. You are the cause of the princess's finger pinpricks, considerably disabling her abilities and being the root of her nonstop complaining."

"All I did was teach her how to—"

"You are the cause for the bee stings Sumia had received three days ago—which are still fully swollen and visible, for your knowledge—by taking advantage of her as bait, then snatching the beehive and fleeing while she ran helplessly through the forest!"

"Not exactly on point there, but if it helps, I got a bunch of 'em too—"

"And not to mention you tainted milord's chastity by taking him to… to… the 'Red Light District'?! You have forever _scarred_ his innocent mind! Are you astute at all to your comrades' well-beings?!"

Frederick inhaled slowly and deeply, desperately in need of a breather after his nagging. Gaius stood there with a raised eyebrow, keeping his mouth shut. After all, Frederick would easily cut down anything that escaped it. He waited until ten full seconds had lapsed until bothering to speak up.

"This has to do with me being a murderer how?"

"…Open that white sack."

"Why?" Gaius immediately said, rather defensively. A bit too defensively for Frederick and his qualms. He didn't realize his grip on the bag tensed until it fell victim to the knight's Frederick-sees-all-stare.

"If my suspicions are correct," Frederick mused, "the heads of your acclaimed victims are stored inside." The thief stared at him like a lunatic, but he didn't seem to notice through all his chattering. "Based on the protective manner in which you're clutching that sack, what lies inside is evidently not for my eyes to see. A typical killer would attempt to hide evidence of the crime by tossing it in the river or burying it where one might not discover it. But you, with your calm and aloof personality, have the ability to blend in with the crowd, masking your criminal identity so effectively no one would ever suspect you of committing anything but innocent robbery! In actuality, you attempt to gain trust, and decapitate your victims' heads when they least expect it, selling them off to the black market for gold you so desperately need to make a living in your sorry life!"

"Sheesh, listen to yourself!" interjected Gaius, before Frederick could continue his crazy prattle. He sighed; as his patience began to thin, so did his resistance. "If you really want to know what's in the bag, I guess I'll just have to show you… You don't seem like the type to like sweets, so I guess it's okay," he mumbled, lazily swinging the sack off his shoulder and gingerly placing it on the ground.

"I don't seem the type to like meat, you say? So my suspicions ARE correct! In that bag are _human heads_! Human heads you were plotting to share with _me_, so as to _bribe_ me to keep your deplorable secret?!" Steam practically _blew_ from his ears, which had taken on a bright tint of red, as he spoke. Still, the amusing side of Frederick getting worked up was trifling next to the terrifying one. He brandished his lance with the clear intent to kill. "I've seen enough. The world will be a peaceful one without rogues like you to terrorize it, blackheart."

Then he swung.

And Gaius, despite his obstinate sweets fetish, chose his life over his candies'.

_RIIIIIIP._

That was what Frederick had heard, as the lance tore a large hole through the white sack, quickly emptying its contents. What Gaius had heard sounded more like the helpless squeals of his babies, each falling—in what seemed like slow motion—to their maker: cold, hard, germ-infested ground.

"AH… hah?"

"NOOO!" cried the thief, who scrambled to the ground to save his beloveds. He circled them with his arms protectively; where was Lissa? Where was Maribelle? They only had five seconds to live, damn it! Medical help, please… vision… blackening… _Mrraaaaaaggghhhh…_

It was a pitiful sight, really.

"My precious! My life! You… you monster! Why didn't you wait until I showed you what was in the damn thing before ripping it open?!"

A ghost of a smile appeared on Frederick's face. "Hmph. You win this round, thief. But know that I _will_ be keeping my eyes on you for the next several days, and when I do catch you in the act of doing something suspicious, it will be _your_ head on a shiny platter." He put his lance away, indifferent to Gaius's silent sobs, and marched away, muttering, "Perhaps it could replace the stuffed bear head on display in the castle hall…"

"Get back here, damn you! At least help me grab all this candy as an apology!" Gaius averted his glare from Frederick's retreating back to his fallen sweets, his furious expression quickly replaced by a somber one. "Ugh. Wonder if a 60-second rule exists?"


	2. Frederick and Gaius — B

**This next part is fairly short, so I quickly got it out of the way. Hopefully it's starting to sound a little better now.**

**Anyway, I'm surprised at the response from this story. First chapter was measly, and yet I'm happy to see you guys taking the time to tell me what you think. Really, it means so much to me, and it also gives me the motivation necessary to get on my computer and **_**write**_**.**

**I've decided to put up a poll based on the suggested supports I received, so every review I got giving me a pair to write about (that fits under the rules, of course) is on it. Do people even use polls on this site? Well, the one that gets the most votes by the time I end the poll, which should be sometime after I finish Frederick and Gaius's A support, is the one I'll write about next, guaranteed. Please contribute! And I won't be taking anymore suggestions until I finish the A support of the one I'm currently doing. Sorry about that. Oh, and I'll credit whoever gave me the idea, so don't worry about that.**

**Just to make things clearer, the characters that are NOT allowed to support are the following: Say'ri, Tiki, Basilio, Flavia, Priam, Emmeryn, Gangrel, Aversa, Yen'fay, Walhart, and any other DLC character.**

**A sincere thanks goes out to all my reviewers for Chapter 1: red lilies, Toffin, Guest, Goku's Donut, PrinceRoxiePie, Undertaker5, Lissa's Husband, and ToraTheUmbreon. Thank you all **_**so**_** much for the support!**

**I can't find anything else to say, except sorry for the short chapter. A support will be much longer than this. So, enjoy!**

* * *

_Frederick and Gaius — B_

* * *

Frederick realized he had guesstimated quite brutally the other day, but he couldn't help it if Gaius continued to make himself look distrustful.

Even with his Milord-Complex turned _off_, however, the sight he had just witnessed didn't exactly scream _Innocent_.

It was hard to believe that when he had gotten up this morning to search for Gaius—set to apologize for his jumping to conclusions—he'd kept an open, skeptical-free mindset. Perhaps he was being unfair, and even though it was Chrom's duty to trust and Frederick's to frown, he still had his share of responsibility. But when Gaius had left the campsite, heading to who-knows-where, he couldn't help but raise a brow. As he silently followed him, he found his forced open-mindedness wavering.

So Gaius had snuck out of camp without a word; probably to rob beehives, nothing wrong there. So Gaius had been heading for their next destined location; okay, it was still a forest-y area, plenty of drool-inducing honey still around. So Gaius was a few feet away from a Plegian outpost; as long as he wasn't seen, everything was dandy. So Gaius crept past enemy lines and into the base; oh, well, um. So Gaius was now completely out of sight, and the Plegians didn't seem bothered one bit, absentmindedly continuing their business.

If Frederick's trust-wall wasn't down yet, it just came crumbling down.

He could think of only one thing Gaius was doing, and it rhymed with _shmeason_.

He was pleased he chose to bring his axe today.

Still, it would be relentless and _asinine_, as Miriel would contribute, to make himself known here. He would retreat quietly back to camp, keeping the scene he'd just witnessed a secret. When they would later march to this enemy camp and inevitably initiate an attack, he would be sure to confront traitor pie himself and make sure his Tomahawk enjoyed eating every bit of it. An upset Chrom would approach him after battle; then he would spill the beans, and ask for permission to replace the bear head in the castle.

It was flawless plan, until the thief came back.

Frederick's axe head stood an inch from Gaius's throat, quick as lightning. Gaius froze, wide-eyed, but visibly relaxed the second he saw Frederick's face. His hand clutched his heart, half-seriously and half-sarcastically, as he spoke quietly. "Crivens, Starchy, don't do that. I just about lost 20 years of my life there."

Frederick gave him the stare.

At this point, however, "glare" would have probably been more appropriate.

"Look," Gaius started, casually holding his hands up and backing away from the glimmering axe, "I know I'm talking to some deaf ears, but it's not what it looks like."

"I've cleaned my ears out just to hear clearly what you have to say, but I've heard nothing but words that arouse my suspicion. Let me hear it from you, then," Frederick stated firmly. "What were you up to just now?"

Gaius frowned. "It's called recon."

"And why would you not tell Chrom or Robin what you had planned to do beforehand?"

"What difference does it make whether I tell them or I don't?"

Frederick's Tomahawk gleamed in the sunlight. The knight was pleased at Gaius's wince.

"Alright, Starchy," said Gaius, his voice taking on a cautious tone, "it's great to see how devoted you are to your role as uptight knight. Really. You're the best and everything. But you're taking things _way_ out of line here."

Frederick had a comeback for this line. He'd heard variations of it precisely 17 times, and counting. "It is my duty to dispose of threats before they have the chance to reveal they are. Better safe than sorry, I'm afraid."

Gaius's eye contact with Frederick had wavered and broke for a split second, and when he quickly jumped out of the way, Frederick immediately understood.

Dark magic.

Frederick warily turned his head to the side and caught the eyes of countless dark mages.

He was aware of his heart beating in his chest, and Gaius tensing up beside him, but he was accustomed to remaining calm in situations like these. Quickly he ran the options through his head; dark mages made up the majority of the enemy, and he and Gaius had erring magical resistance. He had a pouch of vulneraries that could only last so long, but with his strength and Gaius's agility, they might be able to take them out fairly quickly with a only a few easily-mendable wounds. However, there was also the looming question of reinforcements…

But before Frederick could make his final decision, Gaius chose for him.

With a grimace, he turned tail and fled.

Which left Frederick to deduce: what Gaius had done was no different from murder.

The Plegians would chase after him if he ran back to camp. The Shepherds were sleeping, unprepared for battle. Frederick scowled, brandishing his axe, keeping his vulnerary pouch close by. His horse let out a fierce neigh and charged forward.

He would buy time… and deal with what he had to deal with later on.


	3. Frederick and Gaius — A

**Here's another thing I'm willing to write: new parent/child support conversations. The ones in-game are stupidly generic, and I can't be the only one upset about the fathers' (and in two cases, the mothers') lines hardly changing at all. I'll even write them with a fresh, brand-new topic for the pair to talk about. This should give the supports in this story more complexity, and definitely make more room for suggestions in your minds.**

**This conversation is much longer than the previous two, so I hope that lifts a few spirits. I'll have more to say at the end of this chapter, so go ahead and sit back, read, and enjoy.**

* * *

_Frederick and Gaius — A_

* * *

This Plegian onslaught was doubly drastic for one man—even if that one man was Frederick.

Sweat dampened his back as he struggled to lead his horse's reins around the unfamiliar field. The dark mages went down quickly, but his body failed to withstand their sorcery very well. He pressed on with a dizzying determinedness; dark auras surrounded each casting mage, and he used the remembrance of each familiar bite of pain as motivation to hurry and land a hit before they could.

His racing mind remained fixed on the battle, the current situation, and tactics to help ensure his survival. But he couldn't stop that tiny fragment in the corner of his mind from wandering to Gaius and what he had done.

Frederick gritted his teeth.

Though anger inflamed his blood, he used it to his advantage by imbuing the extra vehemence into his swings.

Gaius had acted cowardly. His fighting skills paled in comparison to those of his less reliable lock-picking, but Frederick's chances of winning this fight would have undeniably been much higher with him as support. In the face of the moment, they would have been able to get along. Frederick knew they would have been a commendable duo, and that their combined strength and speed would have helped them live through the chaos. Now, however, he wasn't sure if he would be able to bring himself to trust him.

He made Frederick feel—dare he think it—unsure.

He made him feel unconfident in his judgment. He hesitated and hesitated in forming an answer, a conclusion, until it drove him mad. And he would still leave things unanswered. His assumption of Gaius actually being a cold-blooded serial killer was an incredulous one, he admitted, but there was nothing wrong with playing it _safe_. Then he would dwell regrettably on his actions, and search for a way to make reparations—without getting too friendly, of course. But there would be that aching pounding in his mind that always echoed the words _what if, what if, what if_. It tormented Frederick, and reduced him to a broken heap of indecision.

His teeth bit into his trembling lower lip, hard, as a Ruin spell crept into his flesh, resulting in what felt like a cold explosion in his body. Frederick gasped audibly, whirling his steed around quickly to throw his Tomahawk straight towards the attacker's heart; blood spurted from the dark mage, rendering his body lifeless. He caught his axe in his hand, breathing tiredly, and realized with horror as he prepared to throw his weapon again: the axe was broken.

Several dark spells pierced him at once. It took his entire being not to cry out in pain; his heart convulsed tremendously in his chest. The horse let out a strangled neigh, having absorbed a portion of the blow. Frederick's vision and mind whirled. There was no end to them. They were not strong, but had superiority in numbers. He, on the other hand, was forced to stand as a one-man army. But with his strength waning, and without even a weapon to defend himself, how would he live through this? Through half-lidded eyes, he didn't see any difference between the number of dark mages that continued chanting spells before and now.

He felt his eyes droop and his head hang, until a fierce and commanding voice lifted them both back up.

"Frederick!"

A figure dashed by, unsheathing his sword and slicing Falchion into the closest mage's abdomen. Chrom stole a quick glance over his shoulder to offer his knight a determined, assuring smile. Frederick felt his beaten body relax, unaware of how tense he'd been this whole time.

"Milord," he breathed, immense relief evident in his voice.

"You've done exceptionally well. But you're not allowed to fight in this battle any longer; that's an order. Understand?" Chrom's face was stern, but his eyes told Frederick just how relieved he was to see him safe. His liege nodded, unsure about following such a command, but grateful for the kind and sensible words. Chrom smiled, softly, before rushing into the fray of startled sorcerers.

Just then, an alleviating healing wind enveloped his body, a relieving sensation soothing his tired muscles. A bright, ecstatic voice spoke up from his side.

"Holy _snap_, Frederick! You held off all those guys alone?" gasped the princess, who was gaping at the overwhelming enemy count on the field—nothing the Shepherds couldn't handle, but definitely too much for the lone knight. Frederick opened his mouth to respond, but she continued on: "Hold on—Stahl's got himself injured. Thank me later!" As she ran ahead, he found himself about to follow her by instinct, until Chrom's words echoed in his mind.

Feeling healthy and energized again, and confident another Shepherd would keep Lissa safe, he turned his steed to carry out his lord's orders and find a place to settle down.

Several other fighters rushed by him: Robin, Sully, Virion, Vaike, Miriel, Sumia, Donnel, Lon'qu, Ricken, Maribelle, Panne… even Kellam, who he would have noticed if he'd been paying attention more clearly. Many flashed him a quick smile, and Vaike even ran over and gave him a hard slap on the back. While he was grateful for the support, he found himself partly confused: did they know about the situation? Ricken's hair was tousled, as if he had just gotten out of bed, and Donnel's head lacked its usual pottery. They had all rushed to get here.

Frederick suddenly felt his palm being opened, something small and hard in a wrapper being placed inside: candy.

"Looked like you could've used some help."

Gaius winked.

Frederick stood there, staring at him—but what would have normally been an expression showing malice was instead wide-eyed surprise.

"You ran away… to inform them," he heard himself say.

"Boy, you should've been there. Blue just about exploded. You guys might have to fight over my head when he's done tongue-lashing me later." Though he had clearly sandwiched himself into a not-so-good situation, Gaius spoke with a lazy nonchalance. Meanwhile, the knight swam in a void of his mind, coming across many realizations.

He hadn't even considered Gaius retreating to bring in reinforcements of their own. More importantly, when the thief had explained the situation back at camp, he had purposely placed the blame on himself. All this time… Frederick had misunderstood.

Perhaps that was what distrust could do to someone.

"What you did was not necessary, Gaius," said Frederick, feeling a smile creeping up onto his lips, "but know that I appreciate it wholeheartedly."

Before running off to finish what Frederick had started, Gaius smirked, but for a half-second, it looked like a smile.

And normally, while Frederick typically had to be forced to relax, for the next few minutes, he found it nothing reminiscent of a task.

* * *

Night had fallen hours after the hectic battle, and Gaius hadn't spoken to Frederick since he'd ran back to the battlefield with the rest of the Shepherds in tow. He felt the need to talk to him, partly because he wasn't exactly looking forward to Chrom's confrontation with him, but more so because there was this nagging sense of guilt that lingered in his normally-flippant conscience.

It was a decision made like lightning, and he knew he probably should have _said_ something before he ran off. Honestly, he wouldn't be surprised if at that moment Frederick had cut off all attempts at trusting him completely. But if he kept running away like this, Frederick wouldn't be the only one sick and tired of his antics.

Lazily, he pushed himself up from his cot and lifted his tent flap, his eyes searching the dark campsite for the knight. He found him sitting by the campfire (that he'd most likely started himself), alone with nothing but a full plate of untouched bear meat placed gingerly on his lap.

Gaius strolled towards him, waiting for some kind of gesture from the other man to acknowledge his presence, but the latter continued staring into the crackling embers, his expression unreadable. Maybe he was still upset about the whole ordeal. It wasn't like he didn't have the right to be. Mentally shrugging it off, Gaius settled down comfortably beside him on the log he was sitting on, racking his brain on what to say. He wasn't terribly good at this kind of thing. Whatever, he asserted; he decided he would just say what he had on his mind and get to the point later.

"If you don't like what's for dinner," he said, eyeing the bear meat on the plate, "you can always eat the caramel I gave you earlier."

Frederick still continued to stare into the fire, a tiny crease forming on his forehead. "I'm not particularly fond of sweets, but I thank you for the kind gesture."

Gaius waited for him to say more, but he was quiet once again after he'd spoken.

Wait… So what happened to the candy?

He shook his head mentally. Down, boy. Now was _so_ not the time.

It didn't seem like Frederick enjoyed wasting his time on pointless banter. Perhaps it was better to just get straight to the point. The faster Gaius got this over with, the better.

"If you want to know the truth," he said tiredly, staring down at his hands, "I guess I kind of am a murderer."

Frederick finally turned to him. Gaius did the same, and locked grim eyes with him.

"But that makes you one, too."

Frederick's expression turned pensive, seemingly urging him to elaborate.

"Listen, Starchy. Maybe I was something of a bratty, snot-nosed delinquent when I was a kid, but being in this army is doing something to me. Every day I learn that there are people out there who deserve to live, and people who deserve to be murdered in cold blood. Back then, I didn't even know the line that separated them existed. I was a greedy little nitwit, and my reasons for becoming a thief edged closer towards personal gain. Distrust, apprehension… everything? All part of the occupation, back when I thought I didn't need 'em."

Gaius grimaced, discomfited by the heavy atmosphere, but pressed on.

"I've never had an employer like Blue before, and I've definitely never enlisted in an army that would sink down to its knees without _friendship_ to hold it together. Maybe other armies don't need it, and maybe they have some other slick way to stay coordinated without having to know how each person folds their laundry. But this one does.

"Point is, my attitude probably won't ever change. But my ideals will, and already have been. I might not have as many kills under my belt as you, and I definitely don't _enjoy_ them as much as you seem to like tearing your lance through Plegian scum, but every time I kill someone, it's guaranteed to be the enemy. I wouldn't dream of hurting anyone here. The people here are all capable with not half-bad intentions. If I did, though… _then_ replacing the bear head in the castle would be totally justified."

After a moment of heavy silence, Frederick's quiet chuckle was a knife to the thick tension.

"Perhaps I was wrong about you, Gaius. Admittedly, I feel a great weight has been lifted off my shoulders after everything you have said."

Gaius felt himself smile. He knew it wasn't absolute trust, but it was a start.

"Allow me to be the first to apologize for my earlier transgressions—"

"Are you kidding me?" interrupted Gaius with a light laugh. "You shouldn't sell yourself short, Starchy. Your position kinda requires you to deal with thugs like me. If I'd cared more about my skin, I would've explained myself to you the minute you started drilling me."

Frederick's smile was warm. "I suppose that's just a result of your nature, then. If I had known you a tad better, I would imagine our first encounter would have resulted differently." Now Gaius felt in his gut something foreboding, as Frederick's smile morphed from a tender one into something a little more… _sinister_. "Of course, that does not mean you are by any means exempt from suspicion. I will, however, avoid reading too much into every single action you make. Think of it as me looking out for you, as thanks for you doing the same during our battle today." And the ominousness on his face was gone, and briefly Gaius wondered if he had imagined it.

Well, that was creepy. But it also signaled that Frederick was back to normal, and that the damage between them had been healed.

"I know a tiny part of you still has it out for me and all, but believe me when I say you shouldn't change, Frederick," endorsed Gaius, standing up to make his leave. He flashed him his usual smirk and a quick wink. "They don't make too many guys like you."

He felt relieved, and something about Frederick's words, expressions, and smile told him that the knight was too. As if they had broken down the enormous wall that consisted of their differences and had finally been given the chance to connect. To bond. Soon enough, Chrom's army would stand firmer with the new addition of companionship the two had begun to form.

"I would say no less to you, Gaius," the thief heard from behind, a voice mixed with peace and acceptance. And that was all he needed to hear before being able to leave the campfire, free of guilt and regret.

* * *

**With that, Frederick and Gaius's support is finished! I hope this pair served as an appropriate way to start off this story that has many chapters yet to come, and from now on, I'll be writing the supports with **_**your**_** suggestions in mind, and choose based on what you, the readers, want to see next. I'll keep the poll up until July 9, and then I'll start brainstorming based on the winning pair and what their relationship could revolve around. Please feel free to contribute and help me decide on which two lucky Shepherds get to have another partner to bond with!**

**As always, constructive criticism regarding characterization, dialogue, or any other aspect of my writing style is warmly welcomed.**

**To everyone who reviewed ever since I got out Chapter 2—Undertaker5, Everlastingpassion13, Gunlord500, Lissa's Husband, le-redhead-merchant, and Kikifoo—thank you **_**so**_** much. Kind reviews to me are like sweets to Gaius. Well, maybe not that extreme, but I have never felt such an overwhelming urge to write, and it's thanks to you guys that I can sincerely enjoy doing so.**

**And this is random, but I for one love to listen to fitting music while reading FanFiction, so if you want to listen to the appropriate game track I've designated would fit the respective scenes, I would suggest "Agh! Won goph in mah mouph! Blech! Ptooey!" for F/G's C support, "The Vaike never forgets! I just don't always remember" and "Gods, have the Risen spread this far?" for B, and "I mean it. Go!" "Don't you put any stock in this destiny hogwash!" and "Such bonds are the true strength of this army" for A. There's quite a few, but this support is just riddled with mood-changing moments, so the music is bound to change.**

**Anyway, look forward to our next support, and please don't forget to vote for which one you want to see next! I'll take any final suggestions now, because after the current poll ends on July 9 and the first chapter of the next support comes out, I'll be starting up a new one with the new suggestions. The old choices that didn't win will still be on the second poll next to the new ones, but their votes will be reset to make things fair. If I'm not completely clear here and there's any remaining confusion, don't hesitate to PM me.**

**I should **_**really**_** learn how to make these ANs shorter.**

**Thanks for reading. :)**


	4. Stahl and Sumia — C

**I'm sorry this took a bit longer to get up. I actually had difficulty planning what this support would be about, and I struggled to write it for some reason I don't know. And I had to do some research on **_**horse behavior**_**.**

**Stahl/Sumia support was the winner of the poll, so a Stahl/Sumia support you will get. This is the one I secretly wanted to win, so I was ecstatic when it did. Thanks to ToraTheUmbreon for originally suggesting the pair. These two will make a sweeeet couple. I guarantee it.**

**I would also like to thank everybody who reviewed last chapter: Undertaker5, Zehava, Lissa's Husband, Fierce Wyvern486, PrinceRoxiePie, and red lilies. Your support encourages me to write, even though I initially do it for fun. Also, I'm really glad to see many of you enjoy my writing style! If anything, it's what I pour myself into the most whenever I write these, so it really makes a big difference whenever someone tells me "love the way you narrate" as opposed to "good story."**

**The next poll is also up, and I got a smack-load of ideas from a lot of people. I'm flattered, but by the time I begin the third poll, I'll have to cut out the suggested pairs that aren't getting voted for, since they're just going to take up unnecessary space. Sorry about that, but I hope you understand. Please don't forget to contribute and help me decide which of the suggestions you'd like me to write next!**

**Stahl is such a sweetheart, and it's ridiculous how he wasn't one of Sumia's potential marriage candidates. They would make such a fluffy couple, and it's my goal to evoke all the **_**aww**_**s from you guys in the sweetest way possible. They're both practically **_**kittens**_**. Please enjoy, and I hope to God I characterized Stahl all right. I've never written him before, so I don't know how successful I was in doing so, but… there's always B-support to make amends.**

* * *

_Stahl and Sumia — C_

* * *

Despite all her bumbling apologies, Stahl's smile was patient, and it made Sumia feel as if she wasn't the one at fault.

"Come on, Sumia. Should you _really_ be the one apologizing here?" His voice was light, with a layer of amusement.

"Yes!" she insisted earnestly. After all, she was the one who had miscalculated; clearly, her fragile Pegasus wouldn't have been able to take a blow she'd been unprepared for. After she and her mount were forced to retreat from the battle, Sumia realized with a bitter aching that perhaps it would have been better for Stahl to receive the hit. He _was_ far sturdier than her, and her lunatic stunt only transformed what would have been a mere scratch on Stahl's armor to her forced withdrawal and a bloody wound on her precious partner. With a shameful shake of her head, she heaved a sigh. "I'm the one who made us look like fools out there."

His laugh lifted her spirits—just a bit. "Hogwash! I'm pretty sure letting my guard down in the middle of a fight made me look like a dunderhead all on my own. Besides," he said, the curves of his lips twitching downwards in remorse, "who's steed was the one who got hurt because of all this?"

Even if he wasn't openly showing it, Sumia hated to see Stahl's contrition. For a moment, she willed herself to forget about her own misstep and molded her tone with the intention of easing his discomfort. "I suppose you have a point… but she's going to be just fine, Stahl. There's no need to worry. Nothing the healers can't fix, right?"

"That's good to hear." He beamed, extending a hand out to her. Curiously, she took it, and he gently helped her up onto his mount. She felt uncomfortable on the unfamiliar saddle, but stayed quiet while he continued. "I hope you don't mind. I couldn't help but feel responsible for you not being able to fight, so I asked Robin if you could ride with me next battle. Er, with your permission, of course."

To be candid, she'd had doubts when he'd first brought up the idea. But she felt it difficult to turn down his offer, and she was especially touched at his determination to make reparations for his carelessness—even though a small pang in her heart still made her feel like it was partly her fault for jumping in all hero-like when her Pegasus clearly wasn't built for the inevitable blow. Nevertheless, Stahl's generosity and her desire to keep fighting was what made her agree.

"Oh, not at all," replied Sumia, returning his smile. "If things go well during our training, I'd be happy to fight alongside you and your steed."

Half of her attention was devoted to speaking to him, but the other was focused on adjusting to her uneasiness on regular horseback, which was ridiculous, considering her Pegasus _flew_ and should have served as the more jarring of the two rides. Stahl's expression told her he was clearly astounded—at exactly what, however, she hadn't the slightest clue.

"He likes you!" he practically shouted, as if a third eyeball had just emerged in the middle of her face.

Sumia couldn't help but blurt out a clueless "Huh?"

Stahl quickly shook his head, as if deeming his words offensive, and explained. "The last person who rode him other than me took a deadly hoof to the face." He must have noticed Sumia's horrified flinch, because he tacked on hurriedly, "Granted, that person _was_ Vaike, who practically jumped my horse and spanked him to get him running away from Sully's, if memory serves. All I remember is that he was ambushed by two horses instead of one that day." He laughed, and she laughed, because it was funny, and she could tell he meant to ease her anxiousness.

"I'm not too worried about him attacking me," admitted Sumia, as Stahl began climbing his steed and seating himself down in front of her. "I can't place my finger on why, but I have this weird natural talent for getting along with animals."

They prepared their weapons to commence their training routine, Stahl taking out his sword and Sumia brandishing her lance. Stahl's head craned around slightly as he spoke to her. "That's understandable. How could they _not_ relax around a heart as warm as yours?" Her heart did warm then, and so did her cheeks; thankfully, she was behind him, so he didn't notice her short-lived bashfulness.

"I'm not quite sure it's that, but I do have a horse of my own. Er, at least, a breed of one. I should be able to get along with yours easily enough. The only thing I'm concerned about is adjusting on the battlefield." If she spoke the complete truth, it would involve apprehensive sputtering and her admitting to the fact that she thought this was a terrible idea. For one thing, she didn't even know what to grab on to when they took off, and if she didn't want to end up as a trippy pancake left behind in the mud, her only option would be to latch onto _Stahl_, which would be utterly rude and heavens like she could deny she wasn't being a burden _then_. But she went along with him and decided to take advantage of training, more for his sake than her own.

He readied the reins in his hands, this time turning his head fully to offer Sumia a confident smirk. "There's no need to be so humble. Trust me; you'll catch on just fine."

And with a mighty squeeze of Stahl's calves and the cavalier's intrepid _heyah_, the horse started forward and training had begun.

* * *

"Stahl," Sumia began almost desperately, "I don't think this is going to work out."

It hurt her to say it, and the way his face fell summoned the imps of regret to eat at her heart, but after she had gotten off of the ride and taken one look at his horse, she knew for certain.

"Huh? But everything turned out great! We even broke the training dummy into pieces with our combined force, and usually, only Chrom's able to do that."

"I'll admit I was surprised at our teamwork as well, but… it's clear I'm only being a burden." He opened his mouth to speak, likely to counter against her insecurity, but she continued before he had the chance. "Take a look at your horse."

Stahl's curious eyes turned to his steed, his expression quickly turning aghast and his figure by his side in a second. "Egad! He's panting like an overweight mongrel!" She couldn't help but feel horrid there, as she watched with regretful eyes Stahl stroking his horse's face, and she felt the overwhelming desire to apologize once again.

"And it's all—"

"My fault," he cut in, frowning. "Shoot, Sumia. You can't blame yourself for noticing my mistake. I should be thanking you." He looked immersed in thought, absentmindedly scratching his partner behind the ear as he mused. "That's strange, though. He doesn't normally get this exhausted after a quick training session like that."

"It's because I'm extra baggage," confessed Sumia, unable to stay quiet any longer. "I don't think two people are meant to ride the poor thing. It's a smart idea and everything, but if we're giving your precious horse extra pain, it's difficult for me to go through with it knowing I'm the cause. As much as I want to help, I think it's best if I stayed behind during the next battle." She let herself smile, remembering that her Pegasus was stuck in the same situation as her. "After all, I have a partner of my own I should be watching out for."

Her kindness seemed to touch Stahl's heart, but he still looked ashamed. Sheepishly, he rubbed the back of his ruffled head. "Well, do I feel like an oaf. That's double I owe you, for injuring your Pegasus and suggesting something that would just stop you from spending time with her. Especially when she needs you most."

An idea bounced into Sumia's head, brightening her smile. "Then why don't you come and visit her with me?"

By the curious raise of his brow, she figured he was interested.

"She's not going to understand," she continued, "but you can apologize to her if you feel it's necessary. And you can bring your horse, too. Oh, I'm sure they'd make such wonderful friends! It's times like these when company, animal or human, encourages recovery. She would be glad to see you two—surely much happier than if I were to go alone. What do you say?"

Stahl flashed her a toothy grin. "It's a much better idea than mine."

Sumia couldn't resist a squeal of _yay!_ to convey her excitement; her Pegasus had gotten along with Sully's steed swimmingly, and she had no doubt her partner's first encounter with Stahl's would be just as enjoyable. Stahl had a kind heart, one that mirrored her own, and he had been in the Shepherds for as long as her, even when they were a too small a ragtag group of knights to be called an army. He was always sweet to her, and proved incredibly easy to talk to—though they've seen each other every day for hundreds of days, he was more of an acquaintance to her, but she was ecstatic to finally get the chance to become close friends with him.

"I'll meet you at the stables," he said, taking his horse's reins and preparing to lead him away. "I have something I want to do. Besides, I have this guy," he paused, good-naturedly slapping a hand onto his mount's back, "to wash before meeting his new lady-friend."

They said a momentary goodbye and parted ways, Stahl heading towards the stream and Sumia towards the stable tent.

_Lady-friend._ Just what kind of meeting in Naga's name was Stahl preparing for?


	5. Stahl and Sumia — B

**I don't know why, but I'm having trouble writing this support. If the updates seem slower than usual, you'll know why. Still, I think B-support is when things start kicking up a notch. I think this one should be rather pleasing, with a sprinkle of humor.**

**Another thing I want to talk about is how long this story will go on. It would be terrific if it would never end, but I would think that's impossible, even if I were immortal. To put it bluntly, I'm the type of person who could just never stay devoted to a certain game forever. I'll always love Fire Emblem forever, of course, but there will be short bursts of time when I'm absolutely obsessed with something, and then quickly move on to something new. Now, I'm still very passionate about FE13 and am not going anywhere anytime soon. But what I'm trying to say is that I'm going to stop this story when I feel like it, not when I've run out of things to write about. I want writing to seem like a pastime and a hobby, not an arduous task. There's nothing to worry about right now, since I'm very much still into that period of obsession. (To be frank, probably 99.9 percent of my stories right now will all be centered on Awakening and its characters.) I just thought I'd throw that out there, but rest assured, I **_**will**_** say at the beginning of the final pair's C-support that it will indeed be the last pair I write about. Right now, though, while my passion is still strong, full throttle ahead for the many chapters to come!**

**Real quick, I'd love to thank all the readers who have reviewed this story ever since I got Chapter 4 out: Undertaker5, It's A Promise, TwoFacedHero, Lissa's Husband, Tiredlazyname, and Kikifoo. I know I say this all the time, but it doesn't hurt to reiterate: I **_**love**_** your support, I **_**love**_** your kind words, I **_**love**_** your dedication to this story, and I **_**love**_** you! Thank you so much for taking the time to write some encouraging and supportive tips**** about my ragtag story. Every kind word you all say means so much to me. So much.**

**As for the poll, I think I'll start saying which suggested pair is currently in the lead. The only reason why I do blind polls is, as the site says, to prevent bias. And maybe create suspense and anxiety. Maybe. In any case, Lon'qu/Libra is currently the top-desired support. That should be interesting, to say the least. If you haven't participated in the poll yet, please consider doing so!**

**That's all I want to say for this chapter, so without further ado, please enjoy Stahl and Sumia's B-support!**

_**Edit (7/28/2013): **__**Flutterspark supplied me with some advice on how to help this chapter improve, so there are a few minor changes, but hardly anything noteworthy! Mainly, it's the subtle changes of the words "horse," "colt," and "filly" to more accurate synonyms, ones that would fit the horses' actual ages.**_

* * *

_Stahl and Sumia — B_

* * *

Compensation task number one involved onerous herb-gathering, carrot-picking, preventing-horse-from-stealing-collected-food labor.

It certainly didn't help that Stahl's and his steed's stomachs were synonymous when it came to _grrrrowlllling._

All suppressed groans aside, the cavalier made his way to the stables carrying a treat for Sumia's injured companion. Granted, he was tempted to make a quick stop at the dining tent to satiate the little beast in the cage of his stomach, but he fought against it. He'd just cleaned up his horse, after all, and since the stallion was going to be spending the next few minutes getting to know a brand-new _female_ friend, it was kind of a necessity to be presentable. Though a quick turkey leg wouldn't hurt right now…

Rather hurriedly, Stahl stepped into the entrance of the stables to push away the demons of hunger and immediately spotted Sumia by the far end. He almost didn't want to intrude, as she was busy fondling and grooming her partner, but the sight of the winged mare's bandages, large enough to make him squirm, reminded him that he had amends to make.

He nudged the grip on his mount's reins, and both took steady steps toward the girls.

One of the mare's ears started in his direction, indicating she was aware of his presence. Sumia seemed to notice this; she turned to him with a smile, just as he quickly held out the bag of herbs and carrots in front of her. In her eyes wandered a mix of astonishment and curiosity, until she took it from him and looked at its contents.

Her expression radiated delight. "Stahl, these vegetables are wonderful! I'm sure she will love them."

"Do you really think so?" he asked rather sheepishly, feeling his hand rub the back of his neck. "I was a bit stumped, since I didn't know exactly what Pegasuses—er, Pegasi?—eat, so I had to take a guess and winded up gathering the usual horse treat, plus herbs."

"I'm positive." She glowed, her gaze catching the pile of herbs in the bag. "This is perfect. Pegasi will eat carrots, but they absolutely love herbs like these." She took a thin one in her hands, surprising Stahl by gently opening his palm and placing it in. Her smile shone—evidently, she was excited about this whole thing. "Would you like to see for yourself?"

As a response, he grinned back. "Don't mind if I do."

And then—by the gods, he should have totally seen this coming—the temporarily forgotten member of the party waltzed over on his four legs and slurped up the slim vegetable, chewing it rather noisily amid the knights' startled faces. If Stahl didn't know any better, he would have thought this was his horse's way of unleashing vengeance on him for deliberately ignoring his stomach's protests, even though it had _clearly_ been yawping for food earlier.

And _then_—gods damn him—his mind flicked back to the turkey leg he'd dreamt about minutes past, and it was quickly _his_ stomach creating a hullabaloo over what he would eat for lunch today.

"I am—" he managed to choke out, feeling the blood rush to his cheeks in humiliation, "—_so_ sorry."

Although they weren't the best of pals, Sumia knew him well—actually, he supposed everybody did in this circumstance—and his hunger problem was not an exception. He heard her giggle, but his reddening face was not something he could control.

"It's perfectly fine," assured Sumia heartily. "There's plenty enough for both of them to share. Besides, even if she tried, my Pegasus couldn't handle all this by herself." She reached into the sack and pulled out a single carrot, waving the vegetable around in a manner to draw Stahl's mount's attention. For a quick moment, she turned to him, her eyes asking "May I?" and he responded with a gentle nod.

His steed approached her—or rather, the food in her hand—and sniffed the carrot suspiciously before declaring it edible and chomping a full three-fourths of it down. Sumia seemed heart-struck with amusement and glee; she continued to pull out another carrot and feed it to him in the same manner, while Stahl could only pray that his horse's boisterous chewing wasn't repulsing her.

Not wanting to disrupt her elatedness, he took out an herb from the bag and, with cautious steps, approached the injured Pegasus. He stood as close to her as possible without frightening her, the distance just wide enough for him to extend his hand and offer her the herb. The way in which her head leaned forward signaled to Stahl she was wary of him; it wasn't as if he could blame her. Horses and Pegasi had long-term memory, and it was just yesterday he'd been the reason for her injury. Nevertheless, her nose spent some fair time interrogating the herb until gently, she nibbled on it, eventually accepting the full thing into her mouth.

Stahl sighed in relief then. Her prudence wasn't complete forgiveness, but it was a start.

Sumia seemed to think otherwise. "She's quite accepting of you. She may seem alert, but that's only because you're an unfamiliar face." A snout nudged her empty palm with a snort—one that belonged to his horse, who, evidently, became disconcerted when food had stopped entering his mouth. The action elicited a laugh from the Pegasus Knight, but a low groan from the cavalier.

"Alright, that's enough for you, big guy," chided Stahl, snatching the _half-eaten_ (good gods) sack of vegetables from his mount's wandering jaws. He let out a low whinny, but his owner rolled his eyes knowingly; that pathetic face was just his equivalent to puppy dog eyes, and considering it was a _horse_ trying to make him feel like crud, instead he honestly felt like laughing of tasting guilt like he was meant to. "I swear, he reminds me of me so much to the point of embarrassment."

"I think it's endearing," Sumia coaxed softly. "You shouldn't see it as a bad trait. Your horse is truly a sweetheart, and he reminds me of you, too—in a good way, of course. His love for eating is what makes him the delightful companion he is." The corners of her lips curved upwards. "And it's what makes you Stahl. So don't ever think it's repulsive. And even if you do, know that I'll be here seeing it as, well, endearing."

Somewhere along the way, she had stopped talking about his steed and instead about _him_, but he couldn't tell to whom that final remark was directed. Still, he wasn't about to not feel flattered by her kindness.

Boy, she was a difficult one to repay.

"That means a lot to me, Sumia," said Stahl. He was about to add _I'm glad you don't see me as a pig_, but, given his mental confusion, thought it was too risky and decided against it. Nonetheless, his tone was still warm and genuine. "You know," he started without thinking, "your Pegasus is also very reminiscent of you."

"Really?" She sounded terrifically curious.

Wonderful. Well, he wasn't lying; as his eyes flickered back and forth between the two, the resemblance was actually astounding.

"Yeah," he said confidently. "She's a bit on the bashful side, but quite the sweetie once you get to know her. And there's this air around her that's very… assuring? Like you know you're safe around her. I can't explain it too well, but her presence is gentle, and even kinda comforting. You even _look_ alike! Those similar colors, that wing accessory… You're basically _her_, but, y'know… human!"

Maybe that was overdoing it, but he wasn't lying. Pink dusted Sumia's cheeks. He could have slapped himself; he'd aimed to make her happy, not praise her enough to embarrass her. Even he was feeling a bit abashed.

"So you're saying that our horses are kind of like manifestations of us?"

The sight of Stahl's stallion and Sumia's mare shoving and pressing affectionately against each other would have been heartfelt, had it not been for that comment.

"…Something like that."

Ahem.

"_Welp_, I think it's time for this lug to _go_," Stahl snarled cheerfully, yanking on his mount's reins hard—enough to catch him struggling momentarily on just his two hind legs, and away from his little _lady-friend_.

"I-I see," was Sumia's simple response.

The cavalier was aware of his burning face, but stealing a glance of Sumia's similar redness made the embarrassment a bit more bearable. Just a bit.

"Uh, go ahead and keep the rest of the vegetables. I can go get more anytime, so don't worry about me."

"Oh… If you insist. Thank you very much."

Stahl and his horse were already by the exit by the time he'd recovered from that little incident. After that short-lived sheepishness had gone and passed, he felt well enough to say what he'd had to say before he left.

"One last thing, Sumia." He turned back to her, catching her puzzled gaze.

"Yes?"

"Can you meet me at the foal training grounds after lunch?" He felt a grin forming. "There's one more thing I want to do for you."

Sumia seemed taken aback, almost unwilling. "Stahl, that isn't necessary. You've done plenty enough for me already."

"Please? Trust me; you won't regret it."

"You really are too kind." Her tone echoed resignation, but her smile betrayed her voice. "Alright. I'll be there."

A beam overtook his face. This was only compensation task number one, after all.


	6. Stahl and Sumia — A

**I am **_**so**_** sorry for the much-later-than-usual update. My schedule has been hectic lately, and it's a miracle I was able to get this in before my first day back to school tomorrow. I'm a senior now, so I will probably not have a life anymore after today… Updates will be much slower than usual, so I apologize deeply for that, but placing priority on FanFiction over college paperwork is mad. Really, I am so sorry.**

**I don't actually have much time, so I'll make this quick. Thank you, Flutterspark, Undertaker5, Goku's Donut, and Le Redhead Merchant for reviewing Chapter 5. As always, your support is wonderfully encouraging and is one of the big reasons why I'm able to stay devoted to writing this story. Currently, the Lon'qu/Libra support is in the lead as the support I will write next. If you haven't voted yet, please stop by my profile page to contribute!**

**I am so scared that this one will sound a bit rushed, so hopefully my writing's sloppiness doesn't stand out too much here. I promise that the S-support will be much better, especially in terms of symbolism. Enjoy!**

* * *

_Stahl and Sumia — A_

* * *

If Stahl was a simpleton, then apparently being a bit nutty in the head was one of the stranger norms in this world.

Sumia brought nothing to the meeting site, since Stahl hadn't even given her a hint as to what he'd planned. She'd had a feeling it would be something to this effect; he'd asked her to meet him at the foal training grounds, after all, so she wasn't surprised to see his horse by his side. She'd anticipated he would take her for an innocent, carefree horse ride to lift her spirits, but when her eyes landed on the horse's saddle—or rather, the lack thereof—she started to doubt her earlier conjecture.

Well, she turned out to be right. He was taking her for a ride.

But _innocent_ might not have exactly been the word for it.

"W-where's the saddle?" (And the rest of the darn equipment, in Naga's name?)

"It's called bareback riding for a reason, dear Sumia," supplied Stahl coolly. Steadily, he climbed his stallion, and Sumia took note of his position—slightly more forward than if he actually were sitting atop a saddle. His extended, open palm encouraged her to step forward, and his second hand deftly patted the space behind him, her seat on the ride awaiting.

A fraction of her didn't want to leave him hanging and just wanted to submit her hand for the sake of avoiding infusing awkwardness into the atmosphere, but the larger portion—where her oh-so-prominent insecurities lay—screamed _if you care any ounce about your (unattractive) face you will not even consider this ludicrous idea and it would probably be best to (kindly) excuse yourself and start running away now_, but the smaller and less self-centered fragment countered _but he's so nice and sweet and went through all this trouble to do this just for you and he's smart and gods know he may have something planned_ and the dominant conscience retaliated _you are a madwoman_ and "Please. Be. _Quiet!_"

For a split second, she'd thought those words escaped her mouth, and Stahl would get the terribly wrong idea and she'd make a bumbling fool out of herself for apologizing and oh, gods. Get a good, firm grip on your spiraling freak of a mind, Sumia.

Outside, she allowed an innocent tilt of her head and asked, "Is it safe?"

"Hardly," said Stahl.

She blanched.

"For inexperienced riders," he added.

The uncertainty still didn't leave her alone.

"Don't worry," Stahl assured with a chuckle. "I know what I'm doing. I've done this plenty of times with him." He pulled his hand back and stroked his horse's mane, and because anxiety constantly pecked at her heart like the flap of a hummingbird's wings, all she could think about how he wouldn't have anything to grab onto _but_ the mane.

Sumia knew he was trying to make up for what he did, and times over and over again she'd told him that it wasn't his fault, that nothing was necessary. (She was too frail to withstand the blow.) But she didn't think he realized her submitting to doing this would essentially put her through a kind of miniature torture. The scare of stumbling face-first into the ground, with a _horse_ instead of her trippy legs as support, didn't exactly appeal to her easily-damaged psyche.

In response, she uncomfortably shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

"You'll be safe," pressed Stahl gently. He extended his hand out to her, palm open and assuring, once again. "I promise."

His eyes pleaded for her to accept. He wanted to show her something.

It wasn't like she could deny after she'd already accepted his offer. Nor after he'd gone through so much trouble to prepare Operation Inspirit Sumia for the sake of her faltering selfdom.

In the end, kindness overtook her and placed her hand in his.

Stahl's smile was affable, triumphant. Sumia's mirrored it in half of its ways, tinged with reluctance instead of elation.

Before he could help lift her onto his horse, however, a thought struck her.

"Just a moment!"

Sumia's eyes scrambled to search the grass, vision landing happily on a single daisy, beautified by several petals. Yes; this amount should suffice.

She started plucking.

"I won't goof up and fall off the horse, I _will_ goof up and fall off the horse, I _won't_ goof up and fall off the horse—"

"Sumia."

Stahl sounded weary.

"I thought you said you trusted me."

She felt the gentle pressure of his hand's grasp on hers, and immediately, she felt her heart plummet. She was so desperate to ensure her safety, she hadn't realized everything she had done—declining Stahl's request, foolishly making a flower fortune—was bred out of selfishness.

Sumia felt the half-deformed flower fall soundlessly to the grass below, and she turned her attention to Stahl's tender grip.

"Stahl…" _I'm sorry._

She forced a smile, which, obligingly, enveloped her face and transformed into a genuine beam.

"Let's have fun."

Stahl's dejected expression, to her utmost relief, renewed into something similarly like hers.

"Atta girl!"

* * *

Despite the bumpiness of the ride and the scares of marring her face on the ground and the fear of discomfiting Stahl by keeping her arms constantly locked around him, Sumia enjoyed herself. At some point, her plummeted heart began to rise, gradually, and towards the end of the ride, she found it positively soaring, all former scares merrily transformed into jovial thrills. She'd started laughing—though she hadn't an idea why—and Stahl had joined. She'd thought the horse would start cackling as well, but by then she would have questioned if she were truly in reality or in one of her fantastical daydreams.

Nonetheless, she'd enjoyed herself to her heart's extent, and she was shameless to tell him.

"You are much too kind for your own good, Stahl," she said. "No amount of thanks can satiate the magnitude of every generous act you've done for me."

"Nah, don't mention it," he replied breezily, taking a seat by her atop the grass-plentiful field. "I was just so glad to see you like that after you were so torn back on the battlefield. You know, I'd felt so guilty back then, I racked my brain for hours trying to think about how I could make up for causing you and your Pegasus to get hurt."

"You've made up for it wonderfully," said Sumia benevolently. She was more grateful to Stahl than her words could ever describe, but inwardly, she felt lacking. He'd done so much for her, and her so-called "save" now seemed insignificant in light of Stahl's plenty other kind deeds. "When my Pegasus recovers," she offered without a second thought, "why don't I take you for a ride on her?"

His eyes enlarged, shocked and hesitant. "Uh, I don't know about that. If you thought you were a burden to my horse, how do you know I wouldn't crush her with my weight?"

"Oh, I wouldn't worry _too_ much." It was an absurd, almost comical idea now that he'd pointed it out, but her desire to compensate was what made her press on. "She was able to handle the captain's weight without many problems. And since you've met her already, I'm sure she would be more than willing to let you ride her. She can be a bit of a hassle to handle around strangers, after all…"

"Sumia," said Stahl, half-smiling, half-smirking, "don't worry about it."

"What? But you've done so much for me—"

"If you do something to compensate for _my_ compensation, I'll have to do something to compensate for that. It's best to leave things as they are, while we're both on even ground. Besides," he began, his tone shifting from amused to benign, "every time I turned around during the ride, you would be smiling and laughing and having fun, as opposed to when your Pegasus was attacked and injured. I think seeing you finally in high spirits like that is worth enough thanks for me." His toothy smile caught the red-orange illumination of the sunset. "You already gave me what I wanted, Sumia."

She returned the smile, feeling her cheeks warm, but not in embarrassment. "I can see you're not going to let this go."

As many times as he told her otherwise, Sumia knew she didn't deserve this tenderness, this benevolence, this companionship. But if Stahl wasn't planning to take it back, she would gladly relish it.

"But I can at least give you one more thanks… so thank you. For everything, Stahl."


End file.
